Dreamscapes Travel & Lifestyle Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dreamscapes.ca/i/631317
FRESH RURAL AIR ALWAYS AFFORDED US AN AMPLE APPETITE. PARTAKING IN SECOND HELPINGS, IT ALSO ELICITED A DEMURE SMILE FROM OUR BONNETED HOSTESS. N ot far from the southern Ontario village of St. Jacobs, a Mennonite meal materialized as a mouth- watering order of the day. Old Order Mennonites to be precise. Murray and Esther Metzger provided a substantial lunch for our group. Actually, they consider lunchtime "dinner" since, in our case, it con- stituted hefty homemade helpings of meatloaf, scalloped potatoes, peas, coleslaw, stuffing and devilled eggs. A standard offering of three delectable desserts consisting of fruit, trifle and cake followed our hearty meal. This amiable encounter was reminiscent of a large family gathering that appeased both my appetite and interest in the Men- nonite lifestyle. Of the 1.5 million Mennonites worldwide, 200,000 reside in Canada and nearly 4,000 Old Order Men- nonites live in the surrounding countryside of the Village of St. Jacobs. Mennonite roots can be traced back to the 16 th century Refor- mation in Europe. Pennsylvania German Mennonites migrated to Canada from the U.S. after the American War of Independ- ence. One has to admire their healthy, benevolent Christian beliefs. Following our feast, Esther Metzger proudly displayed her hand-sewn quilts, methodically unfolding the large blanket- sized quilts one by one to exhibit their attractive patterns and colourful designs. "Mennonite women are expected to make at least seven quilts starting from the time they turn 14 until their marriage," she told us. This is evidently enough to last a lifetime. A retail store in the nearby village of St. Jacobs sells Mennonite quilts. HOMESPUN HARMONY BY ALAN G. LUKE & JACQUIE D. DURAND DREAMSCAPES WINTER/SPRING 2016 16